Only Time Will Tell All
by She-Thinks-He's-Foxy
Summary: Rose stands there on the beach. Her Doctor is gone, never to return. Another remains in his place. They share the same face, memories, and quarks. But will Rose ever be able to love him?
1. Chapter 1: Alone Again

Pain.

That's all Rose Tyler could feel as she stood on the beaches of bad wolf bay. The harsh ocean wind stung her face, and tore at her blonde hair.

He had left her. The Doctor had left her. He didn't even say goodbye.

"Rose."

That familiar voice drew her gaze away from where the Tardis had just vanished forever, to the man by her side. His face was the same. His warm brown eyes filled with the knowledge of the universe. His hair. His great hair, messy like always. He was the same man, her Doctor, but not...

"Rose Tyler…," he started, his voice quavering slightly as if he was unsure of the effect his words would have on her, "I will never leave you."

With those words tears began streaming down Rose's pale cheeks. The Doctor lifted his hand and gently brushed them away. He kept his hand cupped on her cheek and looked her in the eyes, those beautiful brown eyes that seemed to almost dare him to surprise her, to show her something new.

"I am the Doctor. I am him Rose. I remember everything," He paused still not sure if his words would hurt or help him regain Roses trust. Being human was already proving to be a hard job, and he had only been human for a few hours. "I know it seems like I am just a fake, a replacement, but the Doctor wanted a life with you Rose. He wanted it so bad. This is our chance to have that. He couldn't bear to lose you again Rose. He couldn't bear to see you hurt by his regeneration, or lose you to old age while he never died". Rose shook her head, tears still streaming down her face.

"He left me. He didn't want me anymore," she sobbed. "I promised I would stay with him forever," she cried, her body shaking with emotion.

"No Rose, I'm still here. I'm right here. We are still together, and we always will be". The Doctor wrapped his arms around Rose and held her close like he always had on their adventures through time and space. Rose continued to cry for several minutes until finally her tears ran out and she felt exhausted. With all of her energy spent, and her sadness expelled she began to relax in the Doctors warm embrace. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his suit jacket. Her breathing began to slow as she enjoyed the familiar feeling she had missed for so long. They stood there clinging to each other, each lost in their own moment of comfort. After some time Rose pulled away and looked him, her Doctor, in the face.

"Your really not leaving my this time right, yeah?" she asked hesitantly. The Doctor flashed her one of his classic smiles and said "Rose Tyler I'm here to stay, just for you".

Rose smiled and took his hand in hers. Together they began walking back to where Jackie Tyler had waited anxiously for them. Jackie, feeling that most of the tension had faded between the pair, began fussing over them asking every possible question in the universe. The Doctor smiled. He secretly missed her fussing and never-ceasing mouth. Though many times Jackie had driven him to the brink of insanity, an impressive task considering how many annoying things he had experienced that hadn't effected him, she had become like his family. Suddenly pain flashed through him and he fell to the sand gasping for air. Everything felt as if it were spinning around him. He could hear Rose screaming his name as she bent down and clutched him in her arms. Donna. Something had happened to Donna. Their connection had been severed. Another spasm of pain ripped through his body. Since he was no longer bonded with her he was feeling the full after effects of a time lords regeneration in a half time lord body. He knew his appearance wouldn't change, but he didn't know if he would survive the effects of the regeneration. His vision began to dim as he fell out of consciousness. No...no not after promising Rose...I don't want to go...

"Mum we have to help," him Rose screamed as she cradled her precious Doctor in her arms. Rose felt tears sliding down her cheeks. This was all so familiar. Images of that fateful Christmas Day when he had fallen sick after his regeneration flashed though her mind. She felt his forehead with trembling hands. His forehead was hot to the touch and covered in sweat. "It's happening again," Rose muttered in quiet shock. "What did you say dear," Jackie asked as she put her hand over her phone. She didn't even let Rose finish before she said "Your fathers on his way sweetie don't worry". For the first time since, she was abandoned in the parallel world, during the attack of the Dalek and Cyberman, Rose Tyler felt powerless. She could do nothing, but hold him in her arms and stroke his hair.

After what felt like ages Pete Tyler finally arrived and helped Rose into the back seat with the Doctor. "Where's the nearest hospital?" Jackie shouted at her husband. "No we can't take him to a hospital!" Rose yelled. Her grip on the Doctor tightened. She couldn't risk it yet. She didn't know if he would be recognized as human or alien. "Home, we are taking him home Mum," she said as calmly as she could. She couldn't stop the slight tremor in her voice as she spoke. Jackie Tyler stared at her daughter for a long moment before finally saying "Oh all right."

Pete drove as fast as he could back to the Tyler home. When they arrived Pete helped carry him in while Rose rummaged through the cabinets looking for anything to reduce fevers. She finally found something and rushed upstairs.

The Doctor lay in her bed covered in blankets. His suit abandoned on the floor and a pair of Pete's old flannel pajamas on instead. Images from Christmas flashed through Rose's mind again. She shook them off and went to sit by his side. His breathing was labored, and his face was flushed with fever. "Doctor can you hear me?" Rose murmured. "Please wake up I have some medicine". No response came. Rose tried shaking him gently hoping he would wake. "Please Doctor," she whispered. "I need you-". Before she could even finish her sentence his eyes fluttered open briefly and he forced himself up to take the medicine. It was all he could manage before he lost consciousness and his head hit the pillow. Rose refused to leave his side for the rest of the night. Jackie came in many times asking her if she needed to rest and offering to stay and watch him instead, but she stubbornly refused to sleep. Guilt coursed through her as the memories of that Christmas all those years ago haunted her. She would make up for that Christmas Day that she had given up on him and left his side while he was sick, she would not make that mistake again. Around 3:30 AM the Doctor sat up quickly in bed gasping for air. Rose jumped out of her seat startled. "Doctor?" she asked tentatively. "Rose...," he said his eyes glazed with pain. "What do you need," she asked taking his hand. "I need..." his voice trailed off as he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer and kissed her. Rose tried to pull away, but his arms held her close as his fevered lips kissed her. When he finally pulled away he studied her face, his eyes full of pain. Before Rose could respond the Doctor fainted again. Rose sat there, in shock, her cheeks burning as she contemplated what had just happened. She hadn't decided how she felt about this Doctor yet. She hadn't decided if he was her Doctor, though she had accepted him when they were on the beach she still wasn't sure if she could have the same romantic relationship her and the Doctor had, and yet he had kissed her so suddenly. The kiss from the beach flashed through her mind and she groaned inwardly at her impulsive actions. She was so desperate for those three words that she had kissed this Doctor, and he had kissed back.

Rose got up and paced around the room in deep thought till the sun began to rise. Checking the Doctors forehead again, she felt that his fever had gone down and decided she could take a short breakfast break. Rose walked quietly downstairs so she wouldn't wake anyone, as she wanted a little more time of piece and quiet before her parents and the baby woke.

~.~.~.~.~.~

The Doctor stirred as he became aware of Rose walking downstairs. His whole body hurt terribly, as he tried to sit up. He wanted to see Rose, to talk to her. To hear her beautiful voice. Using all of his half time lord will power he pushed the covers off of his aching body and stood up. Walking felt harder then fighting the daleks in the time war as he thought as he drug himself across the room and opened the door. He hadn't seen the Tyler house since he and Rose first set foot in this parallel world. He was surprised to see the interior of the house looked much more, well domestic now. Pictures of the Tyler family hung all down the hall way and walls by the stairs. Many of them included the new edition Tony Tyler, his chubby face lit with a smile in all of them. A few featured Rose too. The Doctor leaned heavily against the hall wall as he studied her face in a particular photo. Rose was standing on the beach looking out towards the horizon where the sea meets the sky. Her eyes looked tired and had dark circles under them. The smile plastered on Roses face was clearly forced too. The Doctor felt his heart ache as he continued looking at his precious Rose in such a tortured state. Not able to bear it anymore he continued walking down the hall way to the stair ignoring the other pictures of the wall. He didn't want to see Rose sad anymore. It hurt him too much. He continued down the grand stairs, still leaning heavily on things. The Doctor knew it was risky to be up and about this soon after the attack on the beach, but he needed to know that everything between him and Rose was ok. She hadn't seemed a hundred percent sure on the beach that she trusted him, but they had begun to take steps in the right direction and that was enough for him. The idea of settling down and leading a normal life still terrified him, but if that was what Rose needed him to be then he would happily settle down and get a mortgage. As he reached the bottom of the stairs Rose came into the foyer. She froze when she saw The Doctor standing there his face haggard, but smiling non the less. There was pain in his eyes as gripped the rail tight, his hands turning white from the force of his grip. "

"Rose!" he exclaimed giving her his classic smile. Rose smiled slightly but her eyes betrayed her uncertainty.

"Y-you shouldn't really be out of bed yet Doctor," she replied shifting her feet awkwardly as she stared at him.

"Well I couldn't sleep so I thought I would get something to eat maybe," he said walking toward Rose and taking her hand. "Don't touch me," Rose murmured as she pulled her hand away from his and took a few steps back. The Doctor flinched, stung by her words. "Rose I thought-," he started, but she didn't let him finish. "Who do you think you are?" she exclaimed. "You're just a cheap copy! You're not him!" she yelled pushing past him and running up to her room. Moments later the Doctor heard the slam of the door. His heart sunk and he fell to the floor holding his head in his hands. What had he possibly done this time to upset her? Maybe she was right. He was just a fake. He wasn't the real Doctor she loved. How could he ever be?

The Doctor sat on the stairs in more pain then he had ever felt in his life. His body was on fire, and his heart ached. A gentle hand touched his back, and he looked behind him to see Jackie Tyler holding little Tony. Her hand rubbed his back comfortingly. "Just give her time love," she said smiling softly before moving to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~


	2. Chapter 2: Hope

Chapter 2:

Rose lay curled up on her bed. Tears streamed down her face. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She was supposed to be with the Doctor, her Doctor, in the TARDIS, seeing all of time and space. Instead she was stuck here with his reject self. All that time she had spent trying to get back to him, and he just dumped her here. Another sob racked her body as all the memories of their wonderful adventures swirled through her mind. It was all over this time, for good. The most painful question on her mind though was did she even matter to him? At this moment she felt exactly like how Sarah Jane must have felt when the Doctor abandoned her many years ago. She even had her own K-9. She couldn't muffle her sobs, so she let them come. She let the tears, the pain, and the memories drown her. She cried until she ran out of tears, and finally sleep came, taking her away to happier times.

Rose woke around six o'clock in the evening. At some point someone had come in and put a blanket over her. She sat up and tossed the blanket off of her. She felt empty and hollow inside. She sat still for a moment listening for voices in the house. Surprisingly she didn't hear anything. Usually at this time of day mum was taking on the phone loudly with one of her new friends while trying to calm a fussing Tony. Rose didn't want to leave her room for fear of seeing him again, but her stomach hurt from lack of food, and she was curious as to why it was so quiet. She opened the door and crept down the stairs and into the kitchen. The kitchen was also empty and quiet. A small note lay on the counter. Dread filled Rose. Without even looking at the words she knew that something was up. She picked up the note anyway and read through her moms quickly scrawled hand writing.

Rose,

Your dad and I are going to visit some friends for the evening. We are taking Tony with us. We will be back late. The Doctor took some more medicine before we left and should sleep through the night.

-Love Mum.

Rose groaned as she set the note back down on the table. They had left her here on purpose. That's so like mum she though angrily as she crumpled up the paper, threw it away, and walked to the fridge looking for something to eat.

"Rose."

Rose jumped at the sound of her name, and spun around looking for the source of the sound, but no one was there. She could have sworn she heard the Doctor's voice. Pushing that thought to the back of her mind; she pulled an apple out of the fridge and took a bite. She munched on it for a few seconds before deciding she wasn't that hungry. She threw it away and without even thinking she made her way back up the stairs to the spare bedroom where the Doctor was sleeping. As quietly as she could she twisted the knob on the door and gently pushed it open. The room was dark, but she could just make out his sleeping form in the bed. His chest was rising and falling gently. Rose crept over to the bed side, her heart beating fast. "This isn't him," she reminded herself quietly, but she couldn't help reaching up and brushing his messy hair out of his eyes. Her hand lingered there holding his face as she studied him. He was unmistakably identical to her Doctor. He stirred slightly at her touch, and Rose withdrew her hand quickly.

"Rose," he murmured softly, but he didn't wake.

Rose's breath caught in her throat. Had he been dreaming of her? She had often asked the Doctor what he dreamt about, and he had always avoided her questions, as he would start blabbering on about some wonderful place that they would be visiting that day while he fiddled with different switches on the TARDIS control panel. Rose sighed quietly and walked back to the door. Looking back one more time she felt a tug in her hollow chest at the sight of his sleeping form resting peacefully. Turning away she shut the door and walked back to her room, shutting that door too, and creating one more barrier between them.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The next morning Rose woke early, took a shower, and got dressed. She planned to go to Torchwood today and see what had happened since she had used the dimension cannon to travel back to her world. She needed to get away from the house for a while. She hurried down the stairs and out the front door, ignoring her dad as he greeted her. Her car sat in the driveway, and she quickly climbed in and put the keys in the ignition, starting the engine.

Rose breathed out a sigh as she entered the familiar building. She had spent so much time here after that awful day at Bad Wolf Bay. The people had become her family and, despite their reluctance, helped her build a dimension cannon to get her back to the Doctor. A small shard of hope remained in her heart. Maybe she could do it again. Maybe she could travel across the dimensions and find her Doctor again. She flashed her badge to the man at the front desk and proceeded to the elevator. She pressed the button for the tenth floor where she was usually stationed. Research, development, and alien interactions floor. Rose wasn't much a researcher, or a mechanic for that matter, but she was useful when alien problems arose. She was the most familiar with how to deal with alien problems.

Her and Mickey had spent a lot of time building up Torchwood, and teaching them about all their encounters with aliens and how to deal with them in exchange for the dimension cannon. Pete, being the new temporarily elected head of Torchwood, tried to stop her, but no one could convince Rose it wasn't a good idea. So instead they put her to work for them. As the doors for the elevator opened a frantic scientist rushed in. He stopped, putting his hand on the door to hold it open, and stared at her. "Rose?" he asked, a look of confusion crossing his face. "What are you doing here? I thought you were back with the Doctor." Rose kept her eyes down and pushed past him mumbling, "There were complications".

She continued down the hallway to the area where her team worked. It was an open room with tables everywhere. Each table was piled high with alien tech to be evaluated by the teams of scientists. Rose would supervise, and give input when needed, on certain devices. Her time with the Doctor had left her with all sorts of knowledge on how the tech of different species worked. What she was most good at, though, was being a diplomat with the other races that would come to the earth. This world was much more familiar with alien visits then her home world had been. There had mostly been peace while she was here in this parallel dimension, but a few times they had had to fight against invaders. In those moments Rose sorely missed the Doctor. She missed the way he seemed to be able to calm storms of chaos and fighting. She missed the way his face would light up when he had a solution to a particularly frustrating problem.

Rose realized people were staring at her as she stood frozen in the entrance way of the tech room. Rose mentally shook away the painful memories, and walked over to a particularly chubby scientist who was bent over the table examining some type of ray gun he had managed to acquire.

"Hey Charley," She said smiling at him as he looked up, startled. "Rose?" he said in shock studying her like she was a ghost. "I thought we had sent you back to your world," he continued. Rose ignored his words and instead asked "Is the dimension cannon still working?" Charley shifted uncomfortably on the cushioned stool he was sitting on. "Pete had us destroy it after you left," he mumbled. "He said it was to dangerous and that it would destroy our world if it was ever to be used again." Anger surged through Rose. What gave him the right to decide something like that? "You can build another one though right?" she yelled slamming her hand down on the desk with a bit more force then she had meant, making the pudgy little man jump.

Charley was sweating now as he looked around the room for help. "All the blueprints and information on it was destroyed too," he replied, his voice quavering as he spoke. A wave of emotions threatened to crush Rose as she stood, fists clenched glaring at the man. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Rose I think you should leave," a voice said. Rose wasn't listening anymore though. The hope that had filled her heart when she had woken up that morning was gone now. She had lost him. Her Doctor wasn't coming back for her, and she had broken her promise to stay with him forever. Rose barely paid attention as she was escorted out of Torchwood and back to her car. She climbed in, started the car, and drove back to her parents home. She felt numb as she exited the car and walked into the house. No one said a word as she entered. They were familiar with this "Rose". This was the Rose from Bad Wolf Bay all those years ago. This was the Rose the Doctor had left behind.

Rose climbed to stairs slowly, to exhausted and numb to confront Pete, and went to her room, shutting the door behind her.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The Doctor sat up in bed blinking his eyes in confusion. The room was dark and quiet. He wondered how long he had slept this time. Frustration pricked his heart. This regeneration was taking way to long in his half human body. He stood slowly and stretched. His body was no longer screaming at him in protest as he did so, and that pleased him. A bit of gold laced regeneration energy escaped his mouth as he yawned. He wandered out of his room and into the hall. Everything was quiet. He assumed the Tyler family was asleep. This came as a bit of a relief to him. The Doctor knew his presence here hadn't been a very comfortable one, especially for Rose. Rose. He wondered how she was doing. He stood still listening for any signs that she was awake. He heard none, and decided, against his better judgement, that he would peak into her room. He crept down the hallway to her room. The bedroom door was cracked slightly, but no light spilled out. As gently as he could he pushed the door open and peaked inside. Rose was in her bed. Her slow breathing suggested she was asleep so he walked to her bed side and sat down. She didn't stir. Rose wasn't a light sleeper. He had visited her room many times in the TARDIS while she was asleep. Sometimes he would only stay for a few moments, and others he would allow himself to linger as he studied her peaceful face. She looked so young and helpless when she slept. He had never allowed himself to say the things that he knew she would like to hear though. He never wanted to complicate their relationship. He had long since forbade himself from falling in love with those he brought with him in the TARDIS.

Now, though, as he sat beside her he spoke the words he should have so long ago. His voice was no more then a whisper, and it shook as he spoke.

"Rose Tyler, from the first time I saw you I knew you. I don't know how, but I did. I wanted to take you with me so bad. When you came with me I was thrilled." his voice cracked as he tried to choke back tears that were welling up. Stupid human emotions he cursed mentally. He took a deep, steadying, breath and continued. "During my ninth regeneration I tried so hard not to fall in love with you, but when I regenerated everything changed. I couldn't deny my feelings anymore, so I resigned myself to keeping my mouth shut, assuming you knew how I felt about you. T-there were so many times when I wanted to tell you how I felt. When we were trapped on that space station I almost did, but I was a coward. I'm so sorry Rose," he said quietly. He couldn't go on. Tears streamed down his face as the memories swirled behind his closed eye lids.

"Doctor," Rose said sitting up in bed. She hadn't been sleeping when he had crept into her room, and when he had begun to talk, she listened. The Doctor jumped as she sat up. The fear of her rejecting him, again, gripped his heart. Rose looked him in the eyes, those impossibly old eyes. She could see the pain, and longing in them as he held her gaze. His eyes begged for forgiveness. His words were so true, and sincere.

"Doctor," Rose said again, her eyes welling up with tears as she saw him for the first time. This man. He was her Doctor. Rose tentatively reached her hand up and touched his face. He remained frozen under her touch, afraid that the slightest movement would scare Rose away forever. Suddenly Rose flung her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shirt collar. She began sobbing, her tears flowing fast onto his wrinkled pajamas.

The Doctor slowly wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as his own tears fell. Rose let the pain and anger she had been feeling flow out of her in the form of hot tears. She knew that there would always be a place for her Time Lord Doctor in her heart, but this Doctor was him too, and maybe, just maybe she could love him too. The Doctor, unaware of the emotions running through Roses head, sat quietly holding her. Somewhere in the early hours of the morning she had stopped crying, and had fallen asleep still cradled in his arms, and so he stayed like that. Holding her through the night, not knowing what morning would bring for them. For now though, he thought, he had his Rose Tyler back.


End file.
